Tilting mechanism for x-ray examination table



Nov. 20, 1956 FIG. I

w. ZAALBERG 2,771,330

TILTING MECHANISM FOR x-RAY EXAMINATION TABLE:

Filed July 6, 1954 lNvENToR WILLEM ZAALBERG www, am!

TILTING MECHANISM FOR X-RAY EXAMINATION TABLE Willem Zaalberg, Leiden,Netherlands, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Smit-Rontgen N. V.,Leiden, Netherlands, a limited liability company of the NetherlandsApplication July 6, 1954, Serial No. 441,513 Claims priority,application Netherlands July 8, 1953 1 Claim. (Cl. S11- 6) The inventionrelates to a tilting mechanism for an X-ray table, adapted to tilt thetable from the horizontal position in two directions about an axisarranged transversely to the table and at a height above the lloorsmaller than half the table length, to such an extent that the plane ofthe table top is vertical. With such an arrangement the patient which islying on the table or standing against the tilted table may be broughtat any desired angle of slope. Below the table when it is in thehorizontal position or behind the table in another position a spaceshould be available for positioning an X-ray tube adapted to beseparately displaced with respect to the table and/ or to be movabletogether with the table, while in a frame adapted to be displaced withrespect to the table a radioscopic screen and/or a iilm casing is to bearranged which should be adapted to be brought above the patient lyingon the table or standing against the table. In order to be able toobserve the image on the radioscopic screen easily when the position ofthe table is horizontal, the table must not be too high, e. g. nothigher than 80 cm. This means that the transverse axis about which thetable should be tilted to both sides will be located relatively low, inany event lower than 80 cm. On the other hand the table should be ofsufficient length (200 cm. or more) in connection with the length of thebody of the patient, and the construction of the moving mechanism shouldbe arranged in such a manner that the table may nevertheless bepositioned vertically without the lower end of the table in questionstriking the oor.

An object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of simple androbust construction which meets the said requirements.

It is another object of the invention to provide a tilting mechanismthat is self-braking.

As the moving mechanism of the table according to the invention onlyneeds to have a limited width in spite of its robust construction, itdoes not detract from the stability of the device to arrange the tiltingmechanism near one of the longitudinal edges of the table, whereby alarge space is available below or behind the table for variablypositioning an X-ray tube.

The invention will now be explained in detail with reference to thedrawings, in which a preferred embodiment of a table according to theinvention is described.

Figure 1 shows the patient table with the principal parts of the movingmechanism in elevation, one of the side walls of the said table beingdeleted.

Figure 2 indicates a sectional view according to the line 2 2 in Figurel.

With the embodiment according to Figs. 1 and 2 a toothed segment 4 inthe form of a sector comprising a ring gear 6 with teeth on the innerand outer circumference thereof is arranged on a base 1. The baseextends transversely with respect to the table and has at one of itsends an upstanding post 2, to which the toothed segment is attached bymeans of a bolt 5.

PtentedNov. 20, 1956 Furthermore asupport 7 is mounted on a bolt 3 supeported in the post 2, the said support being adapted` to pivot on thesaid bolt. In the side wall of the support 7 opposite to the toothedsegment 4 guiding slots 8 are arranged near the upper rim of the toothedsegment, in whichl slots a guiding member 9 engages, the member 9 beingintegral with a downwardly extending longitudinal ce y rim 10 of thetable. In the horizontal position of the.

table shown in Fig. 1 the guiding member 9 extends some distance beyondthe support 7 on both sides thereof.

l i Near the table top 11 a shaft 12 is arranged in the longitudinaldirection of the table, said shaft being supported at its ends inbearings 13. This shaft may be actuated by means of a worm gear 14 andan electric motor 15. Furthermore the shaft 12 passes through twobearings 16 xed to the upper edge of the support 7. Between thelast-named bearings gearing in the form of a worm 17 is arranged on theshaft 12. Said worm is slidable along the shaft 12 but they cannotrotate with respect to the said shaft because a key (not shown) arrangedat each of the Worms extends in a key groove in the shaft. The Worm 17engages the teeth on ring gear 6 at the periphery of the toothed segment4 in the form of a sector. A rack 19' is arranged near the upper edge ofthe table, extending through the greater part of the length of the tableand parallel to the shaft 12. Two ixedly interconnected pinions 20 and21 are rotatably mounted on the support 7, the pinion 20 engaging theinner toothed circumference of a ring gear segment 6 and the pinion 21engaging a toothed rack 19 having normal teeth.

The moving mechanism of the patient table operates as follows: When thetable must be brought from the horizontal position shown in Fig. 1 inthe vertical position, e. g. by tilting in a direction opposite to theclockwise direction, the shaft 12 is actuated in such a direction thatthe worm 17 moves along the stationary toothed segment 4 in the form ofa sector to the left and downwardly, so that consequently the support 7and the table are driven and turn about the bolt 3 so that the table isgradually tilted to the left. The pinions 20 and 21 are rotated byengagement of the inner toothed circumference of ring gear 6 and pinion20. Rotation of pinion 20 causes rotation of pinion 21 and thus rack 19'is also actuated with the consequence that the rack 19 and the parts 9,10 and 11 connected therewith are moved to the right and upwardly withrespect to the support 7. The mechanism is dimensioned in such a mannerthat the table can reach the vertical position without the lower end inquestion of the table abutting on the floor on moving to the verticalposition, while in the nal position the table edge is near to the floor.

As is shown in Fig. 2 all parts of the moving mechanism, with theexception of the electric motor, are located within the width of theupstanding post 2 on one side of the table. By this means a very largespace is left below or behind the table for positioning an X-ray tubeadapted to be displaced with respect to the table, which tube may inthis manner easily be brought to all desired points for screening or forexposures.

It is thought that the invention and its advantages will be understoodfrom the foregoing description and it is apparent that various changesmay be made in the form, construction and arrangement of t-he partswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention orsacricing its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described andillustrated in the drawings being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

In an X-ray examination table the combination of a base, a supportpivotally mounted on said base, a table slidable in its longitudinaldirection on said support, the

. y 3f v v. pivotal mounting of said support being horizontal andperpendicular to the 1ngit'udial`diectin of"said`tble and being locatedat a height above said base which is less thanhalf the length ofsaidtable, an electricmotor nountedhn sai-dftablea Wormactuated'directly b`y said electric" motor. rotatably. mounted on saidAsupport, a toothedi segment i'ntheform of' a' sector concentric to saidpivot and' ixedj to said basesaid toothedv segment comprising a ringgear hayingteethon the Vouter-cir-v cumference thereoffengaged withsaid.wo1m, andhavin'gteethon` the'inner circumference thereof, a toothedrack mountediongitudinally of said tab1e, a smaller and aglrgerjpinion'fixed tojeach other androtatablymounted oirsaid support; said smallerpinion engaged with the inner-'circumferenceof said toothedsegment andithe.15

larger pinion engaged with said rack, whereby actuating said'wrm effectstilting ofthe table about saidpiyot by action on said toothed segmentand rectilinear displacement of the table relative to the support in adirection tangential to the toothed segment by action on said smallerand larger pinion;-

RefrencesCitedrin thele'of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Koerneretal; Feb.` 8, 1955

